NEED TO CATCH up? The Journal brings you a round-up of today’s news.

IRELAND

Esther Akhile and Professor Michael O’Connell, Master of The Coombe Hospital, as The Coombe hosts its first Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Babies With Books Read-A-Thon, with support from Friends of the Coombe and Children’s Books Ireland Orla Murray / Coalesce Ltd Orla Murray / Coalesce Ltd / Coalesce Ltd

• A review of speed limits published today will recommend a limit of 30 km/h for many roads across Ireland in one of the biggest overhauls of speed limits the country has ever seen. 
• Bank of Ireland issued a warning about a new scam aimed at its business customers.
• The Garda Commissioner said that the force is to ramp up co-operation with Dubai Police as the investigation into the Kinahan Organised Crime Group (KOCG) gathers pace.
• The Minister for Children and Integration Roderic O’Gorman has said the Government is “under real pressure” to accommodate refugees and asylum seekers ahead of the autumn period.
• Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald confirmed in an interview that she underwent a hysterectomy over the summer. 
• The European Central Bank rose interest rates by 0.25%, in the tenth consecutive increase.
• Gardaí made three more arrests as part of an investigation into a brawl that took place in Galway city on Sunday evening.
• Prepay Power said it will lower its gas and electricity prices from November this year.
• The Taoiseach said that RTÉ relocating to a new site would come with its own costs amid debate around whether the broadcaster should sell its site in Montrose.
• A Government TD claimed that drug couriers are taking off their helmets knowing that it will stop the pursuit.
• A teacher in his early 20s who sent inappropriate messages via Snapchat to teenage girls who were his former pupils was struck off by the Teaching Council for 15 years.
• Commissioner Drew Harris said he will not be applying for the vacant job of the chief constable of the PSNI.
• A former Stardust doorman who initially lied to gardaí and the press by telling them he had opened all exits at the club on the night of the fire has denied that he was “put up to it” to “advance” the interests of “other parties”.
• Status Yellow and Orange rain warnings came into effect for 13 counties, with Met Éireann advising of persistent and sometimes heavy rain with spot flooding in some areas.

WORLD

Derna, Libya after flooding devastated the city. PA Images PA Images

#LIBYA: The United Nations that most of the thousands of deaths in Libya’s flood disaster could have been averted if early warning and emergency management systems had functioned properly.

#UNITED STATES: Hunter Biden was indicted on federal firearms charges, the latest and weightiest step yet in a long-running investigation into the US president’s son.

PARTING SHOT 

A local man found a hole on the beach and thought it was caused by a meteor. Virgin Media covered the story. Turns out, it was just a hole dug by some lads.